the night before...

Well. Right now I am laying in my hotel room on my bed, just hanging out, waiting for a reasonable hour to fall asleep and then waking up tomorrow for a long day of travel, ironically, to a country that is a mere 90 miles away. The bureaucratic process it will take for us to get cleared and aboard a plane is ridiculous (apparently--I will have to describe it later in a different post), but from what we were told, we are expected to be at the airport at 10am for a flight at 2pm.... WHAT?! That's a bit ridiculous and will probably consume my soul for the day (soul consumption is going to be a large aspect in this blog).

I was going to post last night, but after skyping with my friend, I had a bad sleep spell and just passed out without finishing what I wanted to...which meant a somewhat hectic morning. The ONLY thing (so far) that I am appearing to be missing is a swimsuit :( I really like it, too, but I have other shorts that will suffice/I can maybe buy a sweet one there. Woohoo. I am going to talk about what I did to prepare so YOU can learn what to prepare when going to a Latin American country/any country that maybe isn't the most developed in our definition of the word.

First things first--the clothing

I have always been an over-packer and probably always will be, but this time I did a pretty good job. My bag (you'll see a photo of) weighs only 38 pounds! The maximum I can bring down without any charge is 44 (but this includes carry on items, but I'm not carrying 6 pounds worth of stuff onto the plane), so I am pretty much right on target. I, since this is an extended stay and I am going to be more of a resident versus just a tourist, decided to bring clothes that represent my style as best as possible. Meaning fancier shirts, fancier pants--stuff that I would actually wear in the U.S. versus light clothes and fanny packs. Here are a few photos of the piles I am bringing:

You definitely don't want to bring too much. You will end up with that 50lb soul-sucking duffel bag. And you'll end up with a bunch of clothes to wash, take care of, and it just all around sucks. I know you can bring a lot and then leave them wherever, but carrying them around until you decide to leave them can be days or weeks, and especially if you are doing a lot of traveling, that will really weigh you down/hurt you. HURT YOU. I am bringing pretty unconventional travel clothes because I will have one place to be for 3.5 months because I want variety and I will be able to leave clothes in a safe place if I travel elsewhere. After the 3 months, I will most likely leave a lot of clothing at the hotel for the cleaning ladies/anyone that wants it as I probably won't need flannel pants for a while... o_o. Yeah, I have flannel pants. Feels good, man.

This is old information for 99% of everyone, but I can't stress it enough. It's just scary and sad seeing someone carry 2 50lb bags for a trip because it's just so unnecessary. You're not moving there. Bring more neutral clothes that won't stand out so no one can call your lazy butt out for wearing it 3 times a week. I mean... I do that in the U.S., but still! Reduce, reuse, recycle: applies to travel wear also.

Here's my bag:

Shoes

My parents were on my case about getting better shoes, better arch, better support--just get walking shoes. And I hate tennis shoes. I have not liked a pair of exercise shoes probably ever. I like my sambas, my converse, but I do admit these shoes would not fair well on day hiking/walking excursions. So, I conceded and purchased a pair of more heavy duty travel/walking/hiking/adventuring shoes.... I am not proud of this purchase, but I do have a sort of affinity for hiker/mountain people fashion--it's just NATURAL and FREEEEEE. So, I found a pair that I thought was decent and went for it. After trying them on, I did notice how these could definitely come in handy. They sort of... elevated me and made me have an extra spring in my step... really strange feeling wearing real shoes for once. I'm used to slippers and rubbery-canvas shoes. Here is a photo of them:

They're not TOO ugly, right?? They're hyphy in their own respect. My dad's friend gave him very important advice: Never go cheap on shoes, spend extra money on quality shoes. I think that's true. They are something that attribute to you structurally, versus clothes that are just meh, cosmetics. Winter gear is another thing that should probably not be spent lightly on.... but that's for another day, another trip (Mt. Everest anyone??). So yeah, be sure you have decent shoes. I know looking at tourists and their shoes makes me want to vomit 99% of the time because they are just SO DAMN DORKY looking. Just like look at my little shoesies designed for meeee especiallyyyy to travel the worldddd! But, seriously, shoes are important, so suck it up and walk out and be a proud gringo, all you gringites, you.

Technologic

So bringing technology is important: to document what you're doing, to take pictures, to get videos, GPS things, communication. So I have brought three crucial things to my life in Cuba. One: my beautiful Canon Rebel XSi (no picture of...mmm...google!) Two: my laptop and Three: A NEW VIDEO CAMERAAA!

So I bought a brand new video camera that is HD (apparently, but what does that even mean anymore) that can, wait for it, take videos/pics UNDERWATER. So, beach time here we cooomeeee. The best part was that it was only $99...although we bought 2 memory cards for $29 each..but..whatever it was worth it:

So I'm excited about that... taking videos on the street, of demonstrations, dances, whatever. I want this to be a very multimedia trip as I am a very multimedia person. After all this I will have a huge compilation of things to make a beautiful slideshow/movie... Sundance film festival? Cannes? Elizabeth Winters can you get me a spot to show my filming??

When documenting a trip, it is important to realize that YOU are actually THERE. You are taking the picture, but also see and recognize what you are taking a picture of. Don't just blindly snap at things and look at them later and be like o_O? Take a moment to recognize what you're looking at, snap a BEAUTIFUL shot, take another moment, then move on. Don't just blindly point your cameras every which way--I know I'm guilty, definitely, of doing this, but AWARENESS.

When taking photos of people... this gets tricky... I always get super nervous. So I asked my friend for some advice and she told me to just do it and then have a conversation with them. Talk to them a bit, show them the photo then move on. Don't be a spy taking creepy pictures. I mean if they are in a public place doing whatever that's fine, but if you are blatantly snapping photos of them, talk to them, ask them permission. For children, the same. If the children are playing and their parents are just watching ask the children snap a shot, talk to them a bit, talk to their parents. If the parents ask for money, just say sorry and walk away! Hah, a little sketchy, but you got consent from them already and money for the photo is just them scamming a tourist. If they have a shop, you can buy some gum or something that'd be coo. Rambly rambly.

My laptop is old as crap. I got it like sophomore year of high school and used it until Senior year of high school when I got my new one for college. I know 4 years is definitely not old, but in the technology world it's like a completely different generation. Just reusing this now I'm realizing how many advances have been made since I bought this one (which was pretty pricey at the time, now would be worth a quarter of the original value):

See, it's pretty and shiny, but old and a little rusty. There's also this problem with the screen:

If it's not situated correctly it will just fall flat back like this :( so sad. But I will be using the laptop to type up stuff, put it on a USB, zip to a computer with internet and be done so I don't get slapped with a $6/hour charge :( so expensive and not worth it (slow connection). I also brought all my music and all my movies so if I ever get homesick, Chappelle's show babyyyyyy.

Toilet-trees... I never understood this word until I was like 10 probably. I always thought like.. toilet trees... oh youthful ignorance

So I brought pretty normal stuff:

The usual: contact solution, ibuprofen, AD pills, chapstick, contacts, deodorant (I like Tom's because aluminum in traditional deodorant freaks me out...also, funny story. this particular brand at Target is only found in the woman's section. So my mom frantically tried to find it in the men's section also, but, alas, I had to overcome social barriers and venture into the women's deodorant aisle and snatch myself up some tree-hugging [apparently feminine] d.o. DAMN YOU SOCIETY), sunscreen, toothpaste, and these things called: probiotics. They're essentially just a pill a day that contains 10 billion bacteria things that help your stomach and do other good things. I don't know if they actually work that well, I took them before/during Nicaragua and I was fine, but just to be on the safe side I decided to take them again for this trip just to get my stomach a little extra padding/protection. So if you think your stomach might need some protection from Montezuma's Revenge, give 'em a try!

MoNeEeYyy

The money situation in Cuba is so bizarre. U.S. banks won't allow U.S. citizens to withdraw money in Cuba for whatever reason, so I have to bring ALL my money over there (I think I already mentioned this, but it's a refresher). I converted my money to Canadian dollars to bypass the 20% tax they impose on U.S. currency when you try to convert it in Cuba. HAH. In your face Fidel. But really, 20% is a huuuuuuge chunk. So hopefully I can sidestep it as long as possible (I do have some U.S. currency also...)

When I first get there, I will have to convert my money to the CUC which is the tourist currency which means you get ripped off for everything basically. It is a conversion rate of pretty much $1USD to $1CUC, so everything will be the same price. Here's an example... An ice cream bar will be $4 (without a label) so tourists will walk in and pay $4CUC because that's all they have, but Cubans will pay $4 in Cuban pesos which is roughly 40 cents... something like that. So hopefully when I get my visa squared away and get my student ID, I will be able to use the awesome Cuban peso and avoid the plague of getting ripped off. I will still carry with me probably USD, Canadian dollars, CUCs, and pesos just to use in various places that require whatever. It's still a mystery, but, I'm gonna figure it out.

Literature

I bought 3 guidebooks for Cuba, have a 4 year old Spanish--English dictionary, and a photography book about Cuba from an Omaha born/Chicago based photographer:

I am a little sketchy about guidebooks, just because they are so gringo-ey, but I figured with 3 months, I will have a lot of time to check out the country and these books would be a good investment. You can see their titles, and they all have really different stuff. The Frommer's one is mostly maps, the Eyewitness is just a blah of information, and the Lonely Planet one has very intricate details about restaurants/museums/everything all over Cuba. They are all pretty comprehensive of the country, but I will just have to wait and see until I get there!

The dictionary is a must. Obviously. But the black book is a photography collection that my mom got me from that artist who is originally from Omaha? But lives in Chicago? I'm not quite sure. I brought just for inspiration in my photography and it contains little snip-its of Cuban culture and Cuban-Spanish. It's also autographed by the artist :) woo-hoo.

The book I ordered came in like MONDAY. Cutting it so close.. remember:

It's a hardcover and everything. In really good condition... $.01 for an originally $28 book. Looks good to me. My friend said it was a pretty light read, but it is about 300 pages, so I'm a little weary of what a light read is to her ;) but I started reading it and it is pretty good/interesting so far. I hope it can maintain my interest so I can finish it while I'm there and apply what I learned from the book to the country whilst being there. Kind of the point right?

For future reference...

This semester, as I mentioned, I took that class with Matt. The semester before Nicaragua I also had a class with Matt, but this really doesn't relate to him. These are some books that you should pick up if you want to learn more about LAC. They may pertain specifically to one country, but the themes mostly overall cover LAC issues:

1. Don't Be Afraid, Gringo: A Honduran Woman Speaks From The Heart: The Story of Elvia Alvarado -- by Elvia Alvardo, translated by Medea Benjamin

This one's about a Honduran woman who speaks about the troubles of the Honduran people. She mentions the struggle of her growing up and becoming a woman in power in community organizing. She works in regards to acquiring land that is legally entitled to the Hondurans under the current law, but the corruption and wealthy elite are huge factors in why she can't succeed every time. Very easy to read and gives great insight into daily struggles for people of LAC.

2. The Country Under My Skin: A Memoir of Love and War -- by Gioconda Belli

This is the story of one woman and her interactions with the Nicaraguan revolution in 1979. She discusses her role as a woman functioning in the man-powered (literally) front for Nicaragua with the FSLN (revolutionary group). It's an interesting memoir and gives you a lot of insight into what life was like, but she was a pretty wealthy Nicaraguan and was kind of an awkward mother (as you will find out)

3. Nicaragua: Living in the Shadow of the Eagle -- by Thomas W. Walker

This man actually came to talk to our class. The book is basically a general history of modern Nicaragua mostly. It is kind of a tough read, but if you get basic information about Nicaragua first, you can follow along fairly well. It's a pretty intense read.

4. The Devil's Highway: A True Story -- Luis Alberto Urrea

I didn't actually finish this book... woops. But, it is about the most deadly journey in the world: crossing the border into the U.S. It sounds crazy that that is the most dangerous journey in the world, but it really is and the death tolls are astounding! Read for sure if you want to know more about why and how people from LAC come to our country.

Well, that's all folks for now. Time to hit the ol' dusty trail. I will hopefully try to update this blog as much as possible, but it won't be as easy as it has been and it definitely won't be so comprehensive and long. I just wanted to get out some initial information/advice for travelers. So, hope you have enjoyed what you've read so far and I am heading to La Habana tomorrow!

Peace out U.S.A.